The present invention relates to a terminal block assembly and more specifically a current-surge protector for making cross-connections for two rows of terminals, which protector has integral fuses.
Fuse holders and fuse assemblies have been known for applications in industry, automobiles and in domestic or home environments. An assembly with a fuse receptacle integral with a dual-pronged wall plug or outlet and having a dual fuse arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,875 to Holoka. This dual-fuse arrangement utilizes cartridge-type fuses inserted in clips and retained within a housing. The housing has a male end coupled to the fuses at one end of the receptacle and a female receptacle end coupled to the opposite fuse end and operable to receive the mating line cord contacts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,282 also discloses a fused plug, which has a spare fuse retained within the plug.
Earlier cartridge-type fuse and fuse holder assemblies are exemplified by the fuse assembly illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,938,097 to Curlee, which has a cartridge fuse having blade extensions matable with extending fingers to provide an in-line fuse connection or coupling. The fuse is mounted on a pivotal holder, which may be utilized to remove the fuse and open a circuit. Closing of the fuse box or support and reinserting the fuse blades into the extending fingers again closes the circuit. The fuse may be repaired or replaced in the open-circuit position. A similar fuse holder and fuse are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 945,017 to Cole.
Multiple fuse adapters and contacts on a single circuitboard are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,003 to Dipace. Similarly, a multiple element holder, which is illustrated as a printed circuit assembly, is shown in Foster U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,519, with a row of parallel components aligned on a circuitboard.
Fuses are also known as component devices in switch blocks or switching devices, which is shown in Frank U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,343; Frank U.S. Pat. No. 1,861,267; and Kinasi U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,416, where switches and fuse blocks are integrally combined for varying functions. In Frank-'267, an arrangement is provided with the fuses in a single branch unit, which may be coupled in series to provide a single branch from a double branch unit. In the Frank-'343 device, a panel board is shown with several fuse units, each having a receptacle affixed to the board and connected to a bus bar with a removable fused plug matable with this receptacle. A mounting plate, bus bars and panel board for switch blocks, fuse clips, etc., are generally equipped with the elements permanently fastened to the mounting plate. However, the Frank-'343 apparatus provided a switch block utilizing female members detachably mounted on adjacent bus bars and a male member connectable to the female members, which allowed a sectional panel board to be built on and interchanged with other panel boards.
Kinasi U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,426 disclosed a fuse holder arrangement, which is particularly used in an automobile. The fuse holder utilizes a male-female connection where the female member is a fuse box or holder. The male member is insertable in the fuse box and retains the fuses for insertion and mating with the female member. However, one of the members must be rotatable to mate with the other section to act as a contact for the contact elements of the fuses and/or fuse holder.
In DeNigris et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,688, a fuse clip assembly is arranged to accept alarm-type tubular fuses and has a terminal for applying forward pressure on the fuses and for capturing an extended alarm terminal. This particular fuse clip mounting board is generally utilized with a plurality of fuses and does not provide a housing or assembly for retaining a fixed number of fuses in an alignment for rapid insertion and removal within multiple circuit lines.
All of the above apparatus provide large-assembly fuse arrangements for utilization in applications where working area or space is generally without limitation. The components in these assemblies, particularly the fuses, are relatively large and bulky and not readily adaptable to structurally constricted electronic circuits. As an example, recently promulgated specifications by testing organizations and proposed rules from standards-setting engineering groups have placed a requirement on telecommunications networks requiring fusing therein. These networks are very compact as are their components, which has driven the movement to provide compact fuse and component arrangements which must also lend themselves to ease of assembly. Therefore, in present applications where space is a critical element and miniaturized or compact assemblies are demanded, fuse apparatus are required to contribute to the space-saving trend and adapt to confined spaces while providing the same blade contact and electrical power service capability.